Councillors have raised concerns over worsening sanitary conditions in the city, warning that a surge in illegal food vending and weak enforcement of by-laws is undermining urban standards.
Ward 25 Councillor Aleck Ndlovu said the municipality was facing growing lawlessness, particularly linked to unregulated food trading.
He cited reports indicating a sharp increase in unauthorised vendors operating without health clearances. Cooked food is reportedly being sold on street corners and from the boots of vehicles, with some allegedly prepared in unregistered kitchens within residential areas.
“There is a lot of lawlessness in the city. The number of food vendors has increased, and food is being processed from illegal kitchens,” Ndlovu told the committee.
He identified overnight car parks as centres of illegal activity and called for stricter enforcement of municipal by-laws.
Ward 5 Councillor Octavius Dumisani Nkomo echoed the concerns, arguing that limited enforcement was eroding the city’s status as an urban centre.
He said the number of arrests made by authorities was insignificant compared with the scale of the problem, particularly in relation to illegal dumping.
Nkomo described the cleanliness of the central business district (CBD) as being at its lowest level in recent years, attributing part of the problem to a shortage of litter bins.
However, he also urged the council to consider modern waste management strategies, including converting solid waste, especially plastics, into energy and revenue.
He said the city should begin to treat waste not only as an environmental challenge but also as a potential economic resource.